Pak Twitter Debates Whether Rural Women Need Menstrual Products

Pak Twitter Debates Whether Rural Women Need Menstrual Products
As Pakistan continues to reel from the devastating impact of an unrelenting monsoon resulting in unprecedented flooding, the nation is attempting to expedite relief for those affected.

Citizens from all walks of life are contributing to the best of their abilities. Telethons are being arranged, drives are being organised and international assistance too has been requested. While those impacted literally stand at the mercy of nature, Pakistani Twitterati have gotten bogged down in what has been termed a 'senseless' debate on whether rural Pakistani women merit access to sanitary pads. Yes, you read that right. In 2022, the nation is debating whether rural Pakistani women should be provided menstrual hygiene products.

Journalist Sarah Haider stirred a hornet's nest by arguing on the micro-blogging site that she thought "period products" must not be "imposed" on rural women.

https://twitter.com/bohotsaara/status/1564071988506857472?t=wMq9kKRJd1pfxLdXAhPlpA&s=08

Dubai-based writer Anthony Permal was quick to term the 'opinion' nonsense in his reply to the post. He was unsparing in a separate post too. "Why chide men for being idiots when women like this who are journalists AND followed by so many liberal thinkers tweet bullshit like this," he fumed.

https://twitter.com/_galactictony/status/1564128655760031744?s=20&t=4xPvqqEtjtZQOAsCPRfAmA

Laiba Shabeer Ahmad, another Twitter user, raised a series of pertinent points in her response too. Laiba who hails from a village, said she knew of scores of women who use sanitary pads. They knew how to dispose them too, Laiba said. The uninitiated can always be taught, the twitter user pointed out. She also pointed towards paucity of privacy leaving many with no option but to use menstrual products.

https://twitter.com/lailashabeer/status/1564204313148268544?s=20&t=NqEkBePRLEOJkt1JYb0zRA